


The date

by Musichick2004



Series: Old and New [18]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Awkward Dates, M/M, Making Love, Making Up, Marking, Returning Home, Rough Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-12 10:22:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7931041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musichick2004/pseuds/Musichick2004
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a few weeks after Jethro and Tony have talked, and Tony had an interview in DC. The girls went to a B&B with Anna, so the boys have the house to themselves...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The date

Jethro sat at his workbench, sans bourbon, and worked on the façade for the dresser’s base. He peered through the magnifying glasses, worrying his bottom lip in concentration, until he heard his front door open, then shut. He listened as the person went to the kitchen. It had to be Tony. Abby's shoes were much louder, and Katherine's gait distinctive. Nobody else would be comfortable enough to hit the kitchen first. Heck, Tony’d done that well before they were together.

Jethro sat the chisel down and removed the glasses as Tony, dressed in a sharp black suit, made his way down the stairs. “Hardly an outfit for lowly cowboy steaks,” Jethro managed to say. He stood and stepped forward slowly, not wanting to mess up Tony's fancy suit.

Tony had no such qualms. He crossed the basement in three long strides and wrapped his arms tightly around his sawdust-covered fiancée. Jethro slowly raised his arms around Tony’s waist and smiled. “Yer gettin’ dirty.”

Tony buried his face in Jethro's neck. “Don't care.”

They stayed locked together long enough that Jethro could feel Tony's tears through his shirt, sticking to his skin. “I missed you. We all missed you.”   
  
Tony nodded, squeezing Jethro tighter, “I shouldn’t have left.”    
  
Jethro pushed him back and cupped his chin in both hands. “You did what you needed to. Family first. And we hadn’t been acting like much of a family lately. Don’t second guess yourself like that.” He ached to kiss the full lips in front of him, but pulled Tony down to kiss his forehead instead.   
  
Tony let his hands settle on Jethro’s waist and sighed. “Are we going to be OK?”    
  
Jethro pushed him back again and looked into his eyes. “If you want to be.”    
  
Tony saw the happiness in Jethro’s eyes. Maybe there was grief, pain, sadness, but for once, the joy and happiness was stronger than all of the others combined. He grinned, “damn skippy. I’m not here for just the steaks.”    
  
“Speaking of…” Jethro grabbed Tony’s hand and pulled him up the stairs. Tony admired the view he was provided, of Jethro’s ass draped in worn, soft, snug jeans, but resisted the urge to touch. He hadn’t earned that privilege yet.    
  
For a while, the evening was light and happy. Jethro was reminded of the many times Tony had come over just for this. For friendship and laughter and respite from the rest of the world. He wanted nothing more than to lay a hand on his thigh and a kiss on his lips, but he held himself back. He hadn’t thought about how this would happen. About how they’d go from totally absent to back to ‘normal’. And the obscene noises Tony was making over the steak were making him…uncomfortable.    
  
“Oh my god. I’ve lived in Paris for 3 months, and nothing has come close to this.” Tony moaned as he took another bite of the perfectly charred steak. Waving his next piece on the end of his fork, he continued, “You know, I thought you were nuts the first time I came here and you started cooking in your damn fireplace. Did I ever tell you that?” He glanced at Jethro and noticed he wasn’t saying anything. Just staring. And sitting slightly awkwardly… _ OH _ , Tony thought. He’d slipped so easily back into ‘home’ Tony after his first beer, that he’d almost forgotten how these evenings always ended. How Jethro would push him onto his back on the couch and admonish him for making noises like that over a steak instead of him. 

Suddenly, he wasn’t hungry anymore. He fiddled with a piece of meat on his plate and chewed his lip like an embarrassed teenager until he realized Jethro’s hands hadn’t left his plate. No matter what was going on in his pants, he wasn’t leaping across the couch and taking what should have been his for the past 3 months. Tony let his fork clatter to the plate and ran a hand through his hair. Hair he’d let grow until it was officially ‘long.’ Not ‘man-bun’ long, but enough that a good breeze could ruin it. If he got this FBI position, he might have to cut it. Tony shook his head to get himself back on track. “I’m sensing it’s time to talk.”    
  
Jethro grunted and leaned back, half a steak still on his plate as well.    
  
“Katherine said you’ve been seeing a counselor?”    
  
“Yeah. The one I picked for us, and I went anyway after you left.”    
  
Tony nodded, “maybe, once I’m back in DC, we could go together?”    
  
Jethro felt the corner of his mouth quirk up and he sighed, “It was your idea in the first place, so I’d hope so.”    
  
Tony steeled his nerves for the speech he’d been practicing. On the plane, in the cab, in his hotel room. “Jethro…I know you have your rules, but…I’m sorry. We’re both to blame for what happened before, and I shouldn’t have run away. I didn’t want to be angry at you while I was trying to get to know my daughter, but really, I should have shown her what it means to work through things and love your whole family. I don’t want her to learn how to run away. Maybe lots of people run away from me, but I’ve certainly done my fair share too.” He had more, but Jethro’s hand on his neck stopped him.    
  
“Tony. Whatever you feel like you’ve done wrong? I forgive you. I hope you can do the same for me?”    
  
Tony leaned closer and pressed his forehead to Jethro’s. “I do. Let’s promise not to go back. I don’t want to be alone anymore, and I felt alone, even with you right next to me, J.”    
  
Jethro tipped his head slightly until their lips were almost touching. “Never. I’m a bastard, so I can’t promise we won’t slip, but we’re gonna try. We’re gonna pay attention and if we slip, we’ll fix it way before we get there again. Unless you tell me, in no uncertain terms, to get lost, I won’t lose you.”    
  
Tony took the last step and pressed his lips to Jethro’s, and the shock of it went straight to his heart. The kiss was slow and gentle, and Jethro’s hand caressed the side of his neck, his thumb stroked Tony’s jaw. As if it were any other day, the kiss deepened, until Tony had to pull back, breathless. “Jethro, my flight…it’s at 9am.” He waited to see what Jethro would do with that information.    
  
“Your stuff is at Adams house?” Tony nodded. “If we leave here by 5:30, that’s plenty of time to get your things and get you there for security…” Jethro didn’t move, letting the unspoken request hang in the air. _ Stay. Stay with me tonight _ .    
  
“Are you sure? If you wanted to start over, take things slow…” Tony would abide by the offer if Jethro asked, but everything inside him was screaming to make love to his fiancée. The man who waited for him to pull his head out of his ass for 3 months. The man who loved him unconditionally like he'd never had before. At that time, he’d truly believed Talia was the only person who could give him that.   
  
“I don’t want  _ slow _ DiNozzo. I want  _ you _ .” Jethro practically growled, and Tony giggled—no, he chuckled. A manly chuckle—as Jethro brought a hand to his chest and pushed him back onto the couch.   
  
Tony sighed at the feeling of Jethro's weight on top of him, and the kissing quickly went from sweet and loving, to passionate and intense. Tony moaned as Jethro slightly bucked his hips against Tony's thigh, and he could feel how hard his lover was. “God, Jethro, I need you. Here, now, always, I fucking need you.” Tony said, through gritted teeth.

“I'm here, Tony. Said it before, I'll say it again. Not goin’ anywhere.” Jethro said, as his hand reached for Tony's belt. Tony pulled off his tie and draped it over the back of the couch with his jacket, and whimpered as Jethro undid his belt and pants to pull his shirt up. Rough, calloused, but gentle hands slid across the skin of his stomach. “If you like the buttons, undo them,” Jethro growled. Tony quickly complied. He had no doubt Jethro would tear the shirt from his chest if he didn't hurry. The instant the last button was unhooked, Jethro's hands plunged under his undershirt, pushing it high, and Jethro's lips and tongue were on his chest, licking, sucking, nibbling his skin, until they reached his nipples. Tony cried out at the first soft brush of tongue against the sensitive nub, and writhed and whimpered as Jethro payed the other similar attention.

“What do you want, Tony?” Jethro panted against Tony's chest.

Tony leaned forward and pulled Jethro's shirt over his head, “I want  _ you _ , Jethro. I want to touch you, I want to kiss you, I want it all to be real.”

Jethro sat up and pulled Tony's pants down, making him yelp as his rock hard member scraped the rough surface of the zipper.  _ Commando, of course.  _ He wrapped his fingers around Tony's already leaking cock and gently stroked him, letting the weight of it settle against his palm, brushing his balls with each pass, feeling Tony's body twitch and writhe with every gasp and moan beneath him. Just being able to do this again, to hear his lover utter his name like this, was bringing him embarrassingly close to his own release, and he still had his pants on!

“Jethro...god...I'm close, J...I want to cum with you…” Tony lowered his hands and gripped Jethro's wrists, groaning as he pushed them away.

“We can do that too,” Jethro smirked.

“No,” Tony panted and focused on coming back from the edge, “no, please. I've had 3 months of completely unsatisfying masturbation, I know I want to wait. I want to cum on your cock. Please.”

Jethro pulled Tony up to him and kissed him, letting his hands stroke Tony's back and shoulders. “I don't want it like that tonight.” Tony knew what he meant. He’d only ever cum without touching himself if it was hard and fast. 

“I don't either. I don't think I'll need that. I want to make love.” Jethro nodded and pressed a line of kisses to his neck, none hard enough to leave a lasting mark, but enough to make Tony's cock jump at the sensation. “Upstairs?”

Jethro stood quickly and pulled Tony with him, the steaks forgotten.    


As they approached the bedroom, Jethro slowed. Three months, and Tony was back with him for just one night. He hummed in appreciation as Tony wrapped his arms around his waist from behind and pushed open the door, guiding him toward the bed. Tony’s thumbs hooked the waistband of his jeans and trunks together and pushed them toward the floor. His mouth traveled along the junction of neck and shoulder, and his hands returned to feel Jethro's body as he wriggled free of his clothing. “You're gorgeous,” Tony said, splaying his hands across Jethro's chest and stomach. “You always have been.”

Jethro turned and stripped Tony of his pants and socks, and as he stood, Tony pushed him backwards onto the bed. He dropped to his knees and kissed every inch of Jethro's inner thighs, pushing him further onto the bed and propping his feet up to expose his ass. “Tony, what’re you…..aah!” Jethro gasped in surprise as Tony's tongue darted from his mouth and licked a stripe across his hole. Tony palmed his balls and cock with one hand and pressed his cheeks apart with the other, making Jethro drop his head back onto the bed with a grunt. “Not gonna last if you…” Jethro's words were cut off with a moan as Tony's tongue penetrated him and swirled around the tight muscle.

After torturing Jethro for a bit, Tony sat back and smiled at his lover's body, spread, before him, his cock hard and his ass twitching. “May I?” Tony asked as he reached into the night stand where the toys used to be. Jethro leaned up on his elbows as Tony found what he was looking for and grinned even wider. He held up the medium sized plug and lube. Jethro’s breathing quickened and he nodded. Tony slicked two fingers and easily slid inside his lover, quickly adding a third, until Jethro was rocking onto his hand and begging to be fucked. Tony withdrew his fingers and slid the plug inside, tapping the base a few times to make sure it was seated properly. Jethro's shudder told him it was.

Tony slid Jethro's legs back onto the bed and he crawled up his body, straddling his hips and kissing him gently all over as he came back from the edge. Jethro's hand slid around Tony's neck and held him close, kissing, exploring each other's mouths, until his lean muscles tensed and he flipped the slightly larger man easily, landing between his thighs. Tony grunted in surprise and rolled his eyes, “You’ve lost weight, I found it, and you're still playing caveman.”

Jethro smirked. “Yup. And you like it.”

Tony shrugged, “can't deny that.”

And no more words were spoken as Jethro took Tony's mouth in his and couldn't let go. They kissed gently, then deeply; slowly, then desperately. Eyes open and closed. All of it as Jethro slid first two, then three fingers into Tony's hole, making sure he wouldn't be hurt at all. The kissing only paused when Tony gasped as Jethro's cock breached him for the first time in over 3 months.

Jethro's pace was slow and deliberate, and he and Tony covered each other in kisses, ran their hands up and down the bodies they'd missed. Jethro knew he wouldn't last long, even like this, and he slid a hand between them, but Tony stopped him. “Jethro, just talk to me.”

Jethro smiled gently as he kissed Tony's jawline, then his neck. He knew dirty talk got Tony riled up, but that wasn't what was on his mind. Instead, he wrapped Tony in his arms and told him everything that came to mind. How much he was loved, how beautiful he was, how Jethro could stare into his eyes and lose himself, how lucky he was to have Tony in his life, how ,much he wanted to spend the rest of his life together.

Tony was flying high with the intensity of it all. He was surrounded by Jethro, mind and body, and he loved every minute. Hearing his words, feeling him on top, around, and inside him, brought Tony to a place he never thought he’d be. Without reservation, without insecurities, without hesitation, he knew he was loved. And that knowledge brought tears to his eyes as his body slowly built to his orgasm. He gripped Jethro's back and cried out his name when he was close, and Jethro locked eyes with him. They came together that night, and there wasn't cum shooting across the room or screaming obscenities, but the whole moment was deeper and more meaningful than any he could remember.

Jethro thrust gently through his orgasm, and after, kissing the tears from Tony's cheeks, whispering his love and holding his lover as his body shuddered and came down from his own release. Ignoring the mess between them, Jethro stayed buried between Tony's thighs, and shifted just slightly enough that he wouldn't be resting his whole weight on him. Tony looked up at him, and when he smiled back, Tony broke down. Jethro said nothing, just kept stroking Tony's hair as he mumbled into Jethro's chest.

“How could you still love me? I left. I ran. I didnt trust you to take care of me. You loved her too. You're hurting and I ran. I'm not good enough for you. Why did you take me back?”

Jethro just shushed the sobbing man in his arms. He’d had similar thoughts about his own worth, but he’d been able to talk about it objectively. Not that they were banished forever, but he could keep himself in the moment enough to provide the safe space Tony needed. As different as they appeared to people who didn't know them, their insecurities were remarkably similar.

And soon, Tony's grip loosened and the tears stopped and Jethro smiled as a peaceful sleep took over his body.

*****

Jethro gasped as he felt a wet heat surround his cock, and the plug still in his ass being tugged gently. “Holy fuck, Tony...we didn't shower…” Tony smiled and held up the cloth he’d used to clean them. Jethro fell back to the bed as his barely awake body was assaulted from both ends, and quickly he realized he was approaching the point of no return. Embarrassingly fast. Just as he was going to tap out, Tony pulled off and snapped a cock ring around him. Jethro groaned at the sensation and looked at Tony questioningly.

Tony crawled up his body, a feral look on his face, and kissed Jethro hard. Pulling back just enough to speak, he said, “I want to fuck, Jethro. I want to feel you for days, I want you to mark me and claim me.” He grabbed Jethro's hands and pinned them above his head. “And I want to mark  _ you _ . I want us to have a reminder of this.”

Jethro smirked, got his foot under his hip, and easily freed himself from Tony's grasp. “You planned this, didn't you?” He clenched around the plug in his ass and Tony tried for an innocent smile. Jethro knew it was an act. Usually he wasn't interested in being fucked like that. He enjoyed switching occasionally, but when Tony got that look in his eye, he wanted it rough. He wanted to let everything go and if he ended up with bruises and bite marks, so be it. Tony was usually much gentler with him, and he’d hold back today if Jethro asked, but for some reason, Jethro felt himself grow impossibly hard at the thought of being held down and fucked by the one person he trusted with everything.

He snarled and attacked Tony's throat, making sure the marks he left could be covered by a shirt collar. The bruises that would blossom on his arms were high enough to be unseen under sleeves. Tony keened at the dominance and display of possession coming from his lover, and let his body be marked, and he cried out in shock as Jethro thrust into him without warning. The pain quickly gave way to pleasure when Jethro started hitting his prostate on every pass. It was fast, and hard, and he knew he’d be sore, and he loved it.

But when he saw Jethro getting lost in his actions, he shoved him back and wrestled him down beneath him. “My turn,” he growled, reaching between Jethro's legs and pulling the plug from his ass. Jethro groaned at the loss, but it was quickly replaced with Tony's cock, thrusting harder and deeper than he ever had before. Jethro grabbed Tony hard, sucking more marks across his chest and running his teeth across his nipples, until Tony pulled out and tried to roll him onto his stomach.

Jethro shook his head and flipped Tony instead, roughly pulling him onto his knees and shoving his face into the pillows, his hand tangled in the long hair. “You want marks?” Jethro brought a hand down on Tony's ass and Tony gasped, “you want to feel me for days?” he slapped the other cheek, watching them flare red and Tony moaned as he lined himself up and plunged into Tony again. His pace was relentless, he wanted to chase his release, but the cock ring kept it from him. He could easily unsnap the leather and cum hard and deep within his lover, but he held off. He wanted Tony boneless and thoroughly satisfied. He was purposely avoiding Tony's prostate in this position. Tony was begging and writhing beneath him, trying to angle his hips, but Jethro gripped tighter, keeping him in place.

Suddenly, Tony found his resolve, and thrust back onto Jethro hard enough to tilt his balance. He used it to his advantage and flipped them, then rolled Jethro flat on his stomach. He knew he wanted to cum that way, but he wasn't done yet. “I want to hear you, J…” he said, as he spread Jethro's cheeks and pressed himself inside. He couldn't get very deep like this, but he knew he was hitting his lover's prostate. That, plus having his cock pinned and pushed against the bed with every thrust, Tony knew it was driving Jethro crazy. If he hadn't added the tight cock ring, he’d have cum a long time ago. But Jethro was stubborn. He grunted and groaned and moaned with Tony on top of him, but he didn't whine, he didn't beg. Until Tony leaned forward, leaning on one hand next to Jethro's head, and slid his other hand underneath his body to pinch and roll his nipple. Jethro clenched his body, shuddering and writhing, and Tony almost came from the feeling of his tight heat around his cock. He kept it going, however, and whispered in Jethro's ear, “say it, Jethro.” The older man buried his face in the pillows, thrusting his body against Tony's, until he couldn't resist anymore. He turned his head and whimpered and  cried out, “please, Tony...please let me cum!” He begged, and Tony pulled out, slid the plug back into his ass and backed up.

Jethro took a breath and then whipped around, throwing Tony to the bed again. He knew, from the blown pupils and twitching cock, that  _ this _ was how Tony wanted this to end. “You want me to fill you? Probably still have some from earlier. Maybe you should ride on that plane with a plug in your ass.” The shudder that ran down Tony's body told Jethro that's exactly what he wanted. And Jethro pulled off the cock ring, rolled Tony onto his knees and chest, and plunged back in. No pause for him to adjust, Jethro chased his own pleasure. Tony screamed as Jethro pounded his prostate this time, and Jethro grabbed his cock hard and squeezed his balls tight until he felt them drawing up toward Tony's body. The closer he got, the harder he squeezed, and pressed his fingers against the sweet spot right behind them, and Tony cursed and thrust back against him until Jethro knew he couldn't hold back anymore. He gripped Tony tight and just as he was about to give everything, Tony screamed his name and emptied himself all over the bed and Jethro's hand, and the clenching tightness pulled him over the edge with him. He cursed and cried Tony's name and it was one of the longest orgasms he'd had.

Slowly, carefully, Jethro pulled out of Tony, slid the large plug inside, then pulled him close. He checked the clock. Almost half an hour before the alarm would go off. They stayed silent for several minutes, just catching their breath and letting their heart rates come back down.  
  
“I don’t want to go, you know.” Tony finally mumbled, running his fingers through Jethro’s chest hair, enjoying the twitch of his skin as he tickled along his ribs.   
  
“Bring her home next time, Tone.” Jethro said, tangling his fingers in the god awful mop Tony was calling hair these days. “And get a haircut,” he said, jokingly, as he tugged gently.  
  
Tony laughed, “You didn’t seem to mind grabbing it earlier.”   
  
Jethro looked down at the man who was, finally, back in his arms. Even if it was just for the next 20 minutes. “Silver lining, I guess. I could get used to it if I had to.” Regardless of how he felt about the look, if Tony wanted a man bun, it was Tony’s call. He tightened his grip and Tony groaned at the squeeze. “We never talked about this whole ‘new baby’ thing.”   
  
Tony snorted, “I’m just getting used to a preschooler, and you want to talk babies?”   
  
Jethro raised an eyebrow. “I’m not the one talking to Abby about getting knocked up. From Paris, nonetheless.” Tony blushed and Jethro continued, “Look, we’ll talk about it when you’re home. No clinic freezing your sperm and shipping it halfway around the world, ok? Let’s at least have some fun if we’re going to do it.”   
  
Tony jerked back and his jaw dropped, “woah, what? Abby’s my best friend, I’m not…no…uh-unh…”   
  
Jethro laughed. A big belly laugh that could almost have been interpreted as a ‘guffaw.’ “No, you dolt, if anyone is milking you for your sperm, it’s gonna be me. But we can have fun while we do it.”   
  
Tony relaxed back onto his chest, “OK, I get it, but holy crap you had me going for a bit.”   
  
Jethro’s laugh rumbled into his chest as he pulled Tony closer. “Although, I made Anna the old fashioned way. It’d only be fair.”   
  
Tony growled, “No.” He pulled Jethro closer, “Mine.”   
  
Jethro laughed even more, “Hey, I thought I was the possessive one?”   
  
Tony shook his head. “I just hide it better.”   
  
After 10 minutes more, Jethro lightly slapped Tony’s ass, brushing the plug and making him shudder “come on. As much as I’d like to stay in bed with you, you’ve got obligations.”   
  
Tony begged Jethro to shower with him, and they spent a little extra time getting to know each others’ bodies again. In just three months, Tony had put on a little weight, nothing substantial, just enough to be a little soft at the waist. Jethro had lost a little muscle at first, and thinned out, being too wrapped up in other things to work out, but he’d started back up again. He was determined he’d be doing single-handed pushups well into his 80s.   
  
As the water turned off, Jethro’s ears twitched at the sound of Anna’s cries. Katherine and Abby must have come home early.  
  
*****   
Anna was cranky. Mama and Babb-Babb didn’t buy her a new baby doll. Again. First they went to a zoo, and they didn’t get her nuthin. A stuffed kitty would have sufficed. Then they got to sleep in a big pouffy fancy bed and she slept in a stupid net box cage they’d folded up and brought, like she was a BABY. She froze and clamped her arms down as Mama tried to unclip her car seat, but Mama was sneaky and somehow distracted her enough to pick her up and pass her to Babbs. _Dangit_.   
  
Anna pouted the whole way to the door, with Mama laughing at her the whole way, and BabbBabb cooing and trying to get her to smile. It wouldn’t work. And then Mama ran into the door with a *thunk*. She got grumbly and rubbed her head, and _that_ made Anna smile. Babbs pulled out her keys and unlocked the door, and Anna smelled it.   
  
It smelled like Papa. Like his stinky spray he wore when he and Dada went out somewhere fancy. And his shiny shoes were on the floor. Anna started squirming and yelling to see her Papa. Mama tried to calm her, Babbs tried to calm her, but nothing was gonna work. She wiggled free and stomped toward the stairs before Mama dropped the evil gate. Anna glared at her, trying to do her best impression of Dada.   
  
“ ** _Bed. Gate”_** she signed, but Mama shook her head.   
  
“Let’s give Dada some time, ok?” She turned her glare to Babbs too, who was bouncing at the foot of the stairs almost as excitedly as Anna.   
  
“But Mooooommmm!” Babbs whined, until Mama put her hands on her hips. Babbs sniffled and scooped Anna up and made a pouty face to match. “He’s still heeeeeeeerreee!”   
  
Mama sighed, and Babbs kept watching her, but Anna saw. Anna saw him coming down in his fancy clothes and she screamed and kicked and almost fell backwards trying to reach for him. “papa! Papa! Papa!” “ ** _Song_** ” she signed. Papa tossed his neck rope over his shoulder and grabbed Anna from Babbs and swung her in a big airplane circle high in the air. Papa was the tallest. He made the best airplane circles. Babbs pouted, but she waited her turn. Anna stuck out her tongue at her. “Hey monkey! How’re you?”   
  
Anna squealed and signed, “ ** _Song! Song_**!”   
  
Papa didn’t get it. It was a new word she’d learned. He looked to Babbs, who had runny eyes, “She wants a song, Tony.”   
  
Papa opened his arms and Babbs ran and squooshed Anna between them, and Papa started singing. He didn’t have his big plinky toy, but it was OK. It was a good song.  
  
“ _We sat around the table and drank a bottle of wine_ _  
_ _And it poured around us like a moat till no one could get us, and I was fine_ _  
_ _And I said, "Haven't I paid my dues by now, haven't I paid my dues by now_ _  
_ _Haven't I paid my dues by now, don't I get the right to choose?_ _  
_ _And I choose you to take up all of my time_ _  
_ _I choose you because you're funny and kind_ _  
_ __I want easy people from now on"  
  
He stopped singing and kissed Babbs, then Anna, and Anna saw Dada behind Papa, and Mama was with Babbs, and they were all huggy and sad and quiet, so she giggled and gave Papa sloppy wet kisses and a raspberry.  Everybody laughed. Cuz Anna’s good at that. She’s funny.   
  
Babbs had her head in Papa’s armpit, almost, and Anna crinkled her nose cuz sometimes armpits are stinky, but Babbs said “Come home soon, Tony. Anna needs her big sister.” Anna wasn’t sure what a big sister was, but she decided she needed it. Maybe it was a kind of baby doll? Didn’t matter. She was done with the smooshing.

Anna kicked and wriggled, “down!” she grunted, and Papa laughed and set her down. She ran to the living room and climbed into her toybox for her favorite dolly. She looked up and Papa was LEAVING! AGAIN!   
  
“NOOOO!!!!” She ran as fast as her little legs could carry her for the front door, holding out her doll. “papa!”   
  
Papa turned around and gave her the sad part smile she hated. “Hey squirt, I’ll be back. I promise.” He knelt in front of her, and he made a funny face like he had a booboo, but then he hugged her again, and she handed him her dolly. __Bring her back soon, Papa.   
  
“Oh, sweetie, I can’t take this, she’s your favorite!”   
  
Anna pushed dolly at him. “baby cry.”   
  
Papa hugged the doll, “Baby wants to come with me so she’s not sad?”   
  
Anna nodded.   
  
“OK. Papa and your sister Tali will keep her safe and happy, OK? And we’ll bring her home real soon.”   
  
“Good.”   
  
And Anna ran back to Mama and Babbs, since Dada was already in the yellow car.   
  
*****   
The TSA agent looked at Tony and Jethro in disgust as they held each other and kissed and waited until the last minute to go through the line.  
  
“You come home soon. Even if you don’t get the position, we’ll figure it out.”   
  
Tony nodded and smiled, “I like it when you’re clingy.”   
  
Jethro snorted, “it’ll get old real fast. But I miss you.”   
  
Tony sighed, “are we really OK? For now? You’re ok?” His uncertainty was full force, and Jethro placed a gentle kiss to his lips and pressed his thumb onto one of the bruises he knew were forming from this morning.  
  
“Yes. We’ll work on the day to day when you get back. But this? The distance? It is what it is. I promise you, I will not hold this against you. I ran to Mexico, you ran to Paris, if it helps, consider us even.”   
  
“We weren’t family then.” Tony said, quietly.  
  
“Weren’t we?” Jethro kissed Tony again, then pulled him into a hug, giving the agent behind Tony his best Gibbs-glare over his shoulder. The man averted his eyes, and ushered an elderly couple through the line. “Call when you get in, OK? And give that girl of yours a hug for me.”  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so, we've gotten our smut fix, I REALLY need to work on Dad's Gift!
> 
> Muse is wrestling with what happens next here anyway. But Tony IS getting on that plane back to Paris, sorry folks. 
> 
> Also, here's a link to a guy singing the song I picked. He's nowhere near as good as the Nields (writers) or how Tony would sing it, but I like putting links to male singers for his stuff. [Easy People](https://youtu.be/pmOvMJH7FiY)


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